"I feel that this could win the televote" and "I will feel sad, if this didn't win because jurys voted it down". You predicted it perfectly!

Oh my God, yes.... Finland. THAT, THAT, THAT is how to do a national final. What amazing television. And a very worthy winner...

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

the whole show was excellent

@thingybob4375

Жыл бұрын

@@ESCTom Totally, Finland, Spain, Estonia have really delivered this year. And a Melfest meltdown. All three countries - well done, that's exactly how this contest should be

@ZakhadWOW

Жыл бұрын

@@thingybob4375 I have this deep sneaking suspicion that when the Melfest entries came in and they looked at the list of artists, they saw Loreen,a nd here songwriting team, and said. OK we have to stack this so she cant POSSIBLY lose again!... It just so happens someone is a genius for coming up with that staging. HOLY SHEET.

He just stole my heart. This has gone straight to my number 1 … fuck me, this is amazing!

@neconeconeco

Жыл бұрын

@Myth busters omg

I loved the live performance just put a smile on my face. This will do really really well in the televote

It’s crazy, he is just not joking but it’s so entertaining! And the song is not a joke, it’s an anthem of freedom and joy. What we need right now. ❤

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

YES, exactly. the meaning of the song is actually great

@user-gs3yf7dv8r

Жыл бұрын

It's a good joke entry

@jtb357

Жыл бұрын

The song is so overrated 😑

@Geekofriendly

Жыл бұрын

Where do you get the freedom from?

@annalyon2729

Жыл бұрын

@@Geekofriendly From the lyrics.

This works on so many levels :D He has a huge stage charisma, and still doesn't take himself too seriously

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

He is a family guy. I just read an article about him. At first he said he is blessed, because he loves so much his parents and brothers, aunt etc. He seems to be such kind of playful and edgy person, who wants to enjoy of his life. He has been seriously ill so it is his choice to make music and entertain people now when he is still alive.

@mykonossaga

Жыл бұрын

@@miafyra5149 loving your parents doesn’t make you a family guy!

the live performance lived up to every single bit of hype

you were right! it won the televote

like many people, I'd been waiting literally weeks for this performance, expecting a lot. And I was still knocked out of the room. Already this is Eurovison-iconic, all he needs to do now is win the final.

This will do well in the final- its crazy

I love how we can hear the one female audience member shouting out some words here and there. She really is in the zone =)

I'm Finnish, and Käärijä was my absolute favourite this year. I'd love it to do well in the ESC, but I'm honestly just super happy everyone gets to see this performance, regardless of the result. Because, this is not just another song, it's a performance, and it's a very Finnish story. And it's crazy.

@coco5241

Жыл бұрын

Sometimes eurovision ppl thinks that prefer your own country is cheezy. But now you are Absolutely right. My countries choice is Loreen who is brilliant. But very BORING. Finland for the win!

This is it. This will win Eurovision 2023. Saying right here, right now. + his Rammstein tattoo looks cool.

This is my winner now. One of the other countries has to bring something wow for it to beat this for me. My jaw was on the floor, I was laughing I was living! Finland 2024!

UMK was amazing! I'm so glad he won! He's gonna do really well in Liverpool, and hearing everyone in the arena chanting "CHA CHA CHA CHACHACHACHA!" was so great!! =P

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Piña colada was sold out here in Finland last night 😥.

You also talked about it being a gym song, think I've lost a stone just dancing to this in my livingroom for weeks🤣

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

😂💪🏻

He did it, we did it! 💚💥🥳🇫🇮💚 I'm SOOOOO proud of him and us, cause we wanted this to happen 😂😍💚

Esc 2024 in Helsinki. Cha cha cha is absolutely banger.

For his state presence he was inspired by the best, Till Lindemann. He does so many Tillesque things on the stage.

His wardrobe is a result of a team of fashion designers; Elina Lario, Vesa Silver and Teemu Muurimäki. They are seasoned UMK stylists and designers.

He's in it to win it, this has all a winner need. The first contender for now I can see winning in Liverpool.

I'm sooooo HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY 🫠... Cha, Cha, cha 🇫🇮

I think the reason the dancers choreo looked messy is because they were crowded in front of him into a small space. Especially those amazing throws of the girls. Could be lack of separate cameras. In Liverpool they will be able to spread it out more and maybe make the overall set larger scale to fill the stage.

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

ah ok, good call

@Rafaelinux

Жыл бұрын

Lack of cameras? The first artist had like 8 cameras just for a closeup, haha

The live version hits harder than the music video. Wish I could attend to Liverpool to watch this.

Your reaction has made me fall in love with this song and this performance all over again. 😍 Cannot wait to see what UMK come up with for 2024!

TOM! As a HUUUUGE 💚-fan who did know nothing about Him before UMK, this reaction video must be one of the best before-analyzis there were 1 year ago, before we would witness ESC23 drama! Still gives me chills, as you saw all this after Finland's UMK Final! *taking the hat off with silent respect*

Always refreshing to see the most deserving act win, especially by a mile. But certainly all acts were pretty good.

GREAT reaction and GREAT comments! Thanks! 🤩 I liked that song from the start, but you gave it more depth with your thoughts! I don't know about Finland, but in Estonia we have a new term already in our casual language: Let's go cha cha cha - meaning, let's go out Friday night and drink ourselves blind! 🤣🤣🤣

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

We can say here in Finland, that a party was a real Cha Cha Cha. I think a word ”lively” don’t suit well in that kind of wilder party some parties tend to be, lol.

I loved this song right away when i heard it! I hope we win this year with Käärijä 🇫🇮

i love that you adressed the annoying exclusiveness and dated nature of the jury voting and the fact that it’s gonna be unfair for kaarija to be dragged down because of it! hope the best for him, it’s my winner. If this is above Loreen in the televote I already consider him a winner myself

I already commented this on another video, because UMK reactions is all I've been watching since last night but I just can't help but smile seeing Käärijä on stage with Cha Cha Cha. Absolutely the best song out off all the Eurovision songs I've heard so far, and what's even better is that the live performance was even better than the studio version

This is what I want Eurovision to be! I really hope this can win, it's so much better than Loreen. If the juries don't kill this, it's gotta win.

@tiny_lebowski

Жыл бұрын

the jury killed it, but he absolutely crushed the televote

I hope he will win this year,love this entry from 🇫🇮Finland ❤❤

We are on exactly the same wavelength on this one Tom. I watched UMK for the first time tonight because of this song and thoroughly enjoyed it. I concur that he should keep it all in Finnish - the language seems to lend itself to this style of music. The song and performance are fresh and exciting. In contrast I switched on Melfest on another device to catch Loreen and was left a bit flat by it. In my view it's the staging that seems to do the heavy lifting - what's that old saying? 'You should never go back' ?

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

i havent checked out Loreen yet, im going to do it tomorrow morning cos i had so much adrenaline from UMK that i thought it best to save it for tomorrow 😅

Funny you said that, it’s my favorite gym song. 😊 Don’t drive while listening to this though..

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

oh lol, thats good advice 😅

Even if you don’t know finnish anyone can relate to that going out on a weekend vibe 😂❤

Amazing on all counts! I see the final bout on May 13th between Käärijä and Loreen with Käärijä giving the knock out punch. The journey from malevolence to outright fun is nothing like we have experienced before, and I am sure ballroom dancers have never had so much fun in their lives! It's stunning and will get massive points from every country! (I have never seen Human Centipede, but the thought came to mind when I saw it!). I love the fact that the ballroom dancers have to move the furniture too!

I was drinking piña colada with my friend as watching UMK tonight. I'm so glad Käärijä won.

Käärijä gonna win the Eurovision contest. So fuckinng great act.

I saw on reddit the word for wooden slat in Finnish is 'eurolava' which also sounds like Euro Stage in Finnish so the staging is also a pun

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Yes, it is a €uro-pallet.

It‘s party! It‘s great!🎉 That one doesn‘t have all shingels on his roof anymore and I‘m absolutely here for it. 💚 Finland is within reaching distance of the trophy this year. Let me know when you find out where to get that green bolero. 😉

Fantastic! What a great show, loved every minute!!! 🐸

Also like you said Finland was so good this year. The production, the quality, I loved the host, the Language commentators so good! No one could beat Kaarija but everyone had such creative staging all of them would beat our most songs that won other NFs. I went to Sydney World Pride and then just didn't sleep so I could watch it and it was so worth it.

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Pssst: check Benjamin’s song GAY. I love that song’s melody and music video in the Turku’s nature. Maybe near the University’s Botanical Garden?

@FLIPPYNMADZ

Жыл бұрын

@@miafyra5149 I really like NYT too

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

@@FLIPPYNMADZ Benjamin is such kind of entertainer that everyone gets totally wild. I really wish he will be in Helsinki (or some other Southern Finland’s town’s) Pride 2024. We have winter here so it will take at least 5 months. So I listen his songs. He is such a laidback guy with a good sense of humor. And of course he is a great dancer too!

Absolutely love this song - I was lucky enough to get tickets to live semi final 1 (the final in my eyes minus Austria) I can't wait to see the live performance. I willbe taking the finish flag with me. Did you manage to get tickets? Ps love the video and all your excitement. Hope to see you in audience with your lime green top and wig lol - David (Leeds UK)

I love the chaos of the cha cha dancing in the ring, doing high splits in his face it soooo good and sooooo funny! cha cha cha winner please!

Great reaction and analysis! 👍👍👍Watched it twice. I can't wait seeing Käärijä on ESC stage in May 💚

Omg this is a big YES! Hope they keep it Finnish.

Cha cha chaa 🤍💙🤍💙

Wooden pallets is word play. Eurolava=standard pallet size (1200*800mm) -> He is dancing on Euro stage.

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

lol that is next level wordplay 😂

@duckeh1952

Жыл бұрын

Yup lava means pallet and lava means also stage. ...joke really don't work except in Finnish :P

He is the best. I want Finland to win (so far)

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

You mean Tampere 2024 then?

Love from Finland

The side dancing is absolutely the best part

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

yea i loved that 😂

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

It has some elements of an old Finnish folk dance (tanhu). That is like part of tanhu23 😅.

It is quite obvius that you like it...

The riding dance move is called "piggy train" 🐷🐷🐷

This is my number one this year.

I think just about everyone else is taking the competition too seriously. It's ESC, not the Opera. As a Finn, its the first time that we understood the question. This is even more of an ESC entry in its essence, than Lordi in 2006 ever was. Camp, catchy and fun. Dance moves, costumes, memes, and an automatic hit in the club.

I love how much you love this! That unbridled joy on your face says it all 😁. Love it when a song illicits a massively happy & positive reaction. I think my niece will love it. I hadn't watched the performance originally, so I wasn't massively bothered by his song. But I have to admit that when I watched the performance tonight, he moved up my rankings. I loved the wooden boxing ring, the vivid colours and the energy. Although I'm not as mad on the song as most of the fandom, but i do like it and it's likely going to grow on me so I'm looking forward to the direction they're going to take it in to elevate it.

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

That boxing ring is made of €uro-pallets 😅.

You are correct, the English lyrics read amazingly, but it must be sung in Finnish! We need another winner in it's native language!

@ZakhadWOW

Жыл бұрын

Maneskin says hi :P

@martinphillips3432

Жыл бұрын

@@ZakhadWOW what does that mean?

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

@@martinphillips3432 Måneskin’s song’s lyrics are in Italian language.

@duckeh1952

Жыл бұрын

Also Käärijä really doesn't speak English so singing in English would be bad

@kirsiloponen6862

Жыл бұрын

In Finland we don't translate the songs after they've been selected, so it will be in Finnish.

Thanks for the reaction Tom. 😂🇫🇮

This has top 5 potential for sure.

And thanks for UMK review, I don’t know how we got there, but that’s how it is for now! 😮

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

yea i know, its 4 years in a row it was amazing. i actually really loved Axel's song in 2020 too

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

I think the secret is to choose more unknown artists. Before there were only those, who were famous in Finland. Before the program was made for Finns. Now it is made for everyone, who has uploaded Yle’s Areena-app.

Winner of Eurovision! Only thing missing is the blond wig! But there is room for one more person on stage, I'd love a random person coming on dressing like him in the blond wig just dancing around while the rest of the performance goes on in the 2nd half of the performances 🤣

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

lol yea id love a bigger change up at the song change too

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Dancing makes the difference. In the beginning of the song he is just tired after a hard week and wants to drink a couple piña coladas. Then something happens in his mind and he feels enournous lust to dance and enjoy of the life’s smaller and bigger adventures. Just like kind of being integrated with a dance group 😅? He don’t feel any fear to live.

@esc3175

Жыл бұрын

Sound like me every week hahah

100% agree with your comments, especially around the jurors need to reconsider what makes a performance successful. Ditching the jury for the semis this year was a really wise move.

Thank you, Tom, for your enjoyable analysis. I quess the cha cha dancers represent pina coladas. The way he uses word "niinku" is so hilarious.

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

ah interesting i didnt think of it like that. i thought they represented hig uptightness before and after drinking

@nefernefer9008

Жыл бұрын

Yes, that makes sense too 😊

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Niinku = just like/kind of/pretty. Spoken and written Finnish are like different languages. Oot niinku kännis (spoken Finnish) = olet ikäänkuin humalassa (written Finnish) = You are pretty drunken.

I love your comments like I love this song💃🏻💚🕺🏻

Wow, UMK was amazing. It was my first time watching and I was blown away (pretty new fan here!) The only problem for me was Benjamin finishing last. No way. I'm convinced it was just the lack of plants in his stage; the man at the end should have been a sexy orchid plant man of something. Anyway, YES Käärijä! Perfection. I was saving my first spot for him and it was so satisfying updating my scoreboard just now.

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Benjamin has great gigs. He knows how to make a party. The summer and festivals are coming.

Eurovision needs Cha Cha Cha! Best Finnish entry since 2006! 🇫🇮💣💥💚

12 points!!!

The venue is the Logomo concert hall in Turku. It has an artificial acoustics i.e. electric acoustics constellation of Meyer Sound. Thats’s why it sounds so great every time!

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

ah ok, yea everyone sounded great last night

🔥🔥🔥🔥reaction

❤❤❤❤

DING DING DING! I think we have a winner❗❗❗

the wood plates are called "eurolava" in finland, and "lava" means a plate like that but also a stage, so I believe it's sarcasm from their end meaning euro stage ;)

I am just as excited as you ! 😄

lets be real, trhat Cha Cha Cha didnt win was a crime. He got robbed of his deserved win

I wonder if the part where the dancers join him in the ring could be cleaned up by having 3 camera shots in view, like a split screen, where he is in the middle screen and the other shots are of the dancers to each side, just so they dont get in the way of HIS camera shot?

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

yea theres definitely a lot of cleaning up to be done there. someone was saying as well that the stage is smaller there so theres less space to probably do everything they wanted without getting in each others way

i don't know any finnish and I wanna sing along with it sooo bad (and will do it anyways). plus I love ballroom and latin so that's a plus. btw i LOVE your sweater

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

haha thank you

I have NO concerns about the juries - they will recognize the lyric (when they read it in their own languages), they will appreciate the parodic, fun approach and it is an absolute distillation of some Finland's favorite things - ballroom, heavy rock and drinking. Anyone with an appreciation of the importance of music representing all our emotions in life will totally appreciate this.

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

Lol, we Finns tend to be as wild as Finland’s nature is 😉.

💙 from 🇫🇮

This is just peak Eurovision 😂 I loved it from the minute I heard it. He sounded soooo good live and seems to have infinite charisma. Where I disagree with you is that I honestly feel like this might do pretty well with the jury simply because it’s so competent. You criticize the jury for only favoring ballads but that’s not really true. Both Eleni and Netta came top 5 with the jury in 2018, Chanel was 3rd, Malta 2nd in 2021 and so on. They will absolutely recognize the quality of this. My only complaint is the dancers. They are totally unnecessary because he is selling the crap out of this song. He can carry it on it own.

@intensemint7800

Жыл бұрын

He could carry it, I'm sure of it. But it's weird, I've already fallen for the dancers as well, they have such a crazy energy with Käärijä, I love the human centipede, the head banging and all, so I'd love for them to be there in Liverpool, too 😊 I have hope for at least a top5, despite the strictness of juries, since Käärijä did win the jury vote in the national as well 🤩

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

i still think the jury penalises fun too much. its almost like theyre told fun=bad. Chanel literally put on the show of a lifetime and only got her 3rd. Eleni also was mind blowing and was only 5th. I like the dancers but think it needs to be cleaned up a bit. i also think they have some vital big moments with him in the final part. maybe they could come in a little later or something

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Just a thought, if we get a shot of Käärijä standing next to Gustaph at ESC, Gustaph is going to look like his grandma

Cha Cha Cha is my second Favourite song so far and when it comes to Liverpool it will do very very well, however I still prefer Queen of Kings

@Viikkinu

Жыл бұрын

Queen of Kings is just too boring. It's like for little kids.

This song is most likely to be in top 3 in finals or even a winner

@JustSaying001

Жыл бұрын

100% 💣💥💚

Heey there! Käärijä and the dancers are dancing a Finnish dance called by name letkajenkka in the end part of the song. It’s fun just because everybody can dance it here in Finland. We learn at elementary school to dance traditional Finnish dances like letkajenkka, walze, tango and humppa at gym lessons. Those are like exersize and for social skills. Those are necessary skills, because you can dance at least letkajenkka with random people on the street etc if you are especially happy like at those days Finland’s athletes win something, you have one of many student parties after-party or you are on the way there, you are a weddig pair or guest etc. That ”Irish part” of the dance looks like some of old Finnish folk dances. I have to admit, that we Finns tend to be a little bit shy but a couple of drinks may make us party like part animals. So Cha Cha Cha and remeber to chill and dance. Everybody is welcome to dancefloor.

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

I checked some dance instruction clips. At first he dances some kind of mix of Finnish folk dance and bugg. Then it tends to be a letkajenkka aka letkis.

@kirsiloponen6862

Жыл бұрын

@@miafyra5149 I'm Finnish and I just thought the "Irish thing" was an expression of letting go and daring to be silly. Completely missed the letkis 😬I guess I was focusing on Käärijä and the song too much 😄 His presence was so strong, and I didn't care for the dancers so much, but there was great interaction between him ans the dancers, so I've come around on including them in the act.

I agree Tom, it's fantastic that he won and his performance is amazing. The choreo of the dancers is the only thing that needs some tweaks imho. Finland is now my number 2.

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

yes, watching it back now, it needs to be cleaning up. but theyve loads of time for that. your number 1 is........ Spain? Norway?

@leendertjanw7540

Жыл бұрын

@@ESCTom Spain is still my number 1. Don't care much for Norway.

First time watching UMK and loved the whole show. I'm so happy that Käärijä won. Hopefully for Liverpool they'll clean up the choreography to make it clearer that the ropes are attached to the dancers and enhance all the boxing references we have from the music video. I can't wait! It's crazy, it's party and a winner in my eyes.

@miafyra5149

Жыл бұрын

May I ask if you did follow in English? Yle’s Arena gives that alternative too.

@thedanimenezes

Жыл бұрын

@@miafyra5149 I did! UMK was the most welcoming NF for the international community. Another extra point for an awesome show

I love everything in this! And... while the other female dancer is probably the most wellknown dancer in Finland, hottie who have been in "Dancing With The Stars" every year, I didn't recognize her with those teeth?!?!? 🤯 And yes, they all must be professional top class latin-dancers... and seeing them doing all that, and moshing! Must love! 🥰HOPEFULLY Käärijä will take them in to Liverpool! (And perhaps let that tongue-thing off, since it might be little too yeiks. 🤢 It was for me, and there is no point for that, but I put it on nervousness, Anyway, in final everything counts.)

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

apprently one of the male dancers is a former finnish politician 😂

@t.t.v.6217

Жыл бұрын

@@ESCTom pleaaase Tom... don't go there. Some politicians, especially HE, "twitter-moron-king", tries to get all the fame from everywhere he get! Please. No. No. No. I HATE, and everyone SHOULD HATE, how he tries to use Käärijä's success!!!

@t.t.v.6217

Жыл бұрын

He is simply abuser/whore, as we now can see. Using Käärijä's fame... DISGUSTING!

@maijapoppanen218

Жыл бұрын

@@t.t.v.6217 The politician said it as a joke, it's not that big of a deal. Though some (foreign) people now think it's actually true lol but it's not that serious

as a finn my fav song was "ylivoimainen" by KUUMAA but also Käärijä's song was amazing!!

Love this. It is brilliant. As is Mimicat and Ai Coracao in Portugal’s first semi. Take a look when you can.

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

yea, i didnt get my SF1 video out in time so Ill have to wait now until SF2 is complete to do the full vid 😭

@iandh1869

Жыл бұрын

@@ESCTom No worries. Looking forward to hear what you think.

The wooden pallets I think represent his working environ. The boxing theme in the first video was a mistake. At the end he is sawing! Exhausting work week even more exhausting weekend!

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

apparently it is a finnish pun on "Europe stage"

conkret video :P

CHA CHA CHA LETDS GOOOO

I'm pretty sure the dancers are literally doing the "cha cha" dance haha

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

initially they are but then it bcomes something more floor based and then the leprechaun dance

I hope you get the green bolero. It would be great to see you in it. 😂

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

lol i need to get browsing on amazon

@Bloodygat

Жыл бұрын

@@ESCTom i am sure some mexican wrestler will borrow you one 😅

When you listed why UMK is the best NF you forgot to mention the lack of peanut butter advertising

I really liked it, but tbh I HATE the tongue thing he does 😭

@ESCTom

Жыл бұрын

oh yea actually i didnt like that too much either and i dont think it added anything. the song is already edgy enough

What's the name of your account on the Eurovision scoreboard app? I'd love to see your whole top hahah

Wait for the translate lyrics! It going to blow your mind.

The boxes are called euro lava in finland and lava also means stage so its basicly a joke that käärijä is performing at euro stage